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Periasamy Lab
Muthu Periasamy, PhD
Professor and Chair
Dept. of Physiology and Cell Biology
The Ohio Sate UNiversity -Medical Center
Columbus,OH 43210
614-292-2310 (phone)
614-292-4888 (fax)
Lab Members:
Poornima Bhupathy, Graduate Research Associate
Anu Kalyanasundaram, Graduate Research Associate
Mei Chi, Post Doctoral Researcher
Yingbi Zhou, Research Scientist
Subash Gupta, Post Doctoral Researcher
Naresh Bal, Post Doctoral Researcher
Current Research
Research in our laboratory is focused on identifying molecular mechanisms underlying heart failure. Heart failure is a progressive disease affecting the myocardium, initially causing poor pumping function and eventually resulting in death. The precise mechanisms that contribute to heart failure is poorly understood and the available treatment can only prolong survival for short term. There is no real cure for heart failure and only a heart transplant can save the patient.
The heart is a muscular pump and the beat-to-beat function of the heart is controlled by a well-defined set of proteins. These proteins make up a) the contractile apparatus responsible for generating force (pumping) and b) sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca2+ transport proteins that regulate intracellular Ca2+ levels. The release and removal of calcium from the sarcoplasmic reticulum is responsible for activating the heart muscle to contract and relax (heartbeat). Studies show that changes in Ca2+ handling proteins and Ca2+ transport can be linked to cardiac dysfunction and heart failure. To determine how altered expression or activity of the SR Ca2+ ATPase (SERCA) pump causes disease we have been using transgenic mouse models with altered SERCA protein levels. We have shown that increased SERCA expression is beneficial and protects the myocardium against heart disease including ischemia reperfusion injury. Our laboratory uses a variety of techniques, including Genomics, Proteomics and calcium imaging in isolated myocytes. Our long-term goal is to identify relevant therapeutic targets, to prevent the development of Heart Failure.
The current areas of research include:
1) Role of SR Calcium ATPase in cardiac function and disease using genetically altered mouse models
2) Regulation of SERCA pump by Phospholamban and Sarcolipin , two small inhibitory phosphoproteins
3) Role of luminal SR proteins Calsequestrin, Triadin, and Junctin
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